


My Valentine

by ChucklesCPfic



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Confusion, M/M, Misunderstandings, Mushy, Picnic, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-24 09:39:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9715736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChucklesCPfic/pseuds/ChucklesCPfic
Summary: A quick, mushy story for Valentine's Day. (Written February 2017)





	

Title: My Valentine  
Pairing: C/P  
Author: Chuckles

 

Captain Kathryn Janeway picked up the mug of coffee that had just materialised in the replicator, and appreciatively inhaled the rich aroma. With a contented sigh, she turned and looked at the man sitting quietly at the table in her ready room. “Are you sure you don't want anything, Chakotay?”

Her First Officer smiled and shook his head. “No, I'm fine. Thank you.”

Nodding, she sat down opposite him, the mug clasped tightly in her hands. “It's been quite a boring day. Thank goodness there's only an hour or so left until the end of shift.”

“It has been dull,” he agreed with a sigh, “but I take it you're looking forward to the picnic later?”

“I am.” She took a sip of her drink, then put the cup on the table. “I haven't been on one in ages. It should be fun.”

“Well, it's certainly a different way of celebrating Valentine's Day....”

Janeway nodded slowly. “It is, at that. I'm not sure who gave Neelix the idea for it, but the crew seem to approve.” She raised a speculative eyebrow at him. “So, will I meet you on the holodeck, or shall I call by your quarters first, say an hour after shift?”

“Well, actually...” Chakotay dropped his gaze to the table for a moment before meeting her eyes again, “I'm afraid I might not be joining you this time, Kathryn. I have other plans.”

“You have a date?” She smiled but sounded surprised. “With whom?”

“I'd rather not say at the moment.” He grinned wryly. “I've had so many reports to do, I haven't actually had time to ask yet.”

“Ah,” she gave him a knowing look, “I see. And you're worried you might not get a positive response?” 

“Well, apart from anything else, I _have_ left it a bit late, so....”

She shook her head and reached across the table to pat his hand. “Don't be disheartened, Chakotay. I'm sure whoever it is will be quite willing to change any plans they've made. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't be happy to go with you.”

He gave her a small smile, not feeling quite as confident as she seemed to be, then stood. “I'd better get back to the bridge.”

Janeway nodded. “I've still got a few things to finish up here. I'll see you later, at the picnic.” She grinned at him. “I'm looking forward to finding out the identity of your mystery date.”

~~~~~

Tom Paris frowned as he hunted through the stack of vids on his shelf, looking for the one Harry Kim wanted to borrow. “It's not here,” he sighed, turning toward his friend, who was sitting on his couch. “I think I might've lent it to B'Elanna.”

“Oh.” Harry looked and sounded dejected. “So, she's seen it already, then. Damn.”

“I can lend you something different, if you'd like.”

Harry shrugged. “Maybe. Got anything romantic that she _hasn't_ seen?”

“Yeah. I think so.” He sorted through them again and picked a few out. “Here,” he handed them over, “these are pretty good. Romantic enough but not too mushy; should suit her just fine.”

“Thanks.” He smiled with relief. “You're a life-saver, Tom.”

“Think nothing of it, Harry. I'm glad I could help.” He sank down into the chair opposite. “Shame she couldn't go to the picnic with you, though.”

“Yeah, it is. But you know what she's like about the engines. I'm just glad she could make time to see me later.”

“So,” Tom raised an eyebrow, “what've you got planned? Besides watching vids, that is.”

Harry gave another shrug. “Nothing fancy. Just a late dinner in my quarters. Wine, candles, that sort of thing.”

“Sounds nice.”

“Yeah.” He looked speculatively at Tom. “What about you? You going to the picnic?”

Tom sighed heavily. “If I do, it'll be on my own.” He gave a soft snort. “Won't that be fun?”

“Megan turned you down?”

He shook his head. “I didn't ask her.”

“Oh.”

He gave his friend a reassuring smile. “It's no big deal, Harry. I'll be fine. I just didn't want to go with someone who didn't really mean anything to me, in a romantic sense, that is. I didn't want to lead anyone on. Y'know, give them hope where there is none.”

“I see.” Harry nodded, then grinned. “Well, I'm free until later. Wanna go with me?”

Tom laughed and reached over to pat him on the knee. “Only if you promise not to be disappointed when I don't take you home with me afterwards, darling.”

Harry chuckled. “That's okay, _sweetheart._ I've already got plans. And they don't include you.” 

Tom smiled, still laughing. “Guess it's a date, then. You'd better go and get changed. I wouldn't be seen dead with a man in a crumpled uniform.”

Rising to his feet, Harry grinned again and walked toward the door, as Tom got up to see him out.

~~~~~

Chakotay looked at the state of his bed and sighed. In his efforts to find the perfect outfit to wear to the picnic, he'd dragged just about everything he owned out of his closet and clothes were now scattered everywhere. 

And he still wasn't sure if what he'd finally picked out looked good enough....

Shaking his head, he sighed again. It was only a picnic. Except... it wasn't, really. 

Had he been attending as friends with Kathryn, as was usual for these types of events, he'd have just opened up his cupboard and taken out whatever was to hand. Most of his clothes were suitable for most things... most of the time. But this time... well, he wanted to look a little bit special - not overly so, just enough to show he'd made an effort but still appear casual if things didn't go as planned. 

It was then he started to wonder if he was over-thinking things.....

With a wry chuckle, he turned his back on the mess and left the bedroom. What he had on would have to do. And besides, it might all turn out to be a lot of trouble for nothing. He really _had_ left it very late to talk to his prospective date, and there was absolutely no guarantee that Tom would actually agree to go with him....

Stifling another sigh, he hoped with all his heart he wouldn't be rejected. 

Over the last few weeks, he'd thought he'd seen some interest from the younger man – warm glances, gentle smiles, casual touches to his arm when they were in Sandrine's – and it was this apparent interest that had finally given him enough courage to risk approaching him. 

He really hoped he hadn't misread things.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed his unsettling thoughts aside and picked up the bag he'd left on the dining table, ready now to finish packing it. Two filled flasks went into it first, then a bottle of wine - the last of several he'd picked up on a planet they'd visited a few months before. It was a drink many of the crew had liked and one he knew for certain Tom had been partial to. Providing things went to plan, it would be a nice surprise for him.

With a quiet plea to the Spirits for everything to go well, he grabbed the bag's long strap and hooked it over his shoulder. After a quick trip back to his bedroom, to take one last look at himself in the mirror, he headed out of his cabin and made his way to the turbolift.

It was just a short ride to Tom's deck, but as each second passed he had to try harder and harder to keep his anxiety under control. He honestly couldn't ever remember feeling quite so nervous.... 

As the lift came to a halt, he stepped out and breathed deeply, calming himself for the walk to Tom's quarters and the question he hoped would be answered favourably.

~~~~~

As the door slid open, Tom was surprised to see the First Officer standing in the otherwise deserted corridor outside, looking all dapper in civvies he'd never seen him wear before. He gave him a quick smile as Harry stepped through the door with him. “Did you want me for something, Chakotay?”

The older man nodded and drew in a shaky breath. “Yes. I wondered if you had a moment to talk.”

Tom smiled at him again. “Sure. Just give me a moment, okay?” He turned to Harry. “I'll see you outside the holodeck in about fifteen minutes, if that's all right?”

Harry grinned at him. “Of course it's all right. I mean,” he winked at him, “I could hardly go to the picnic without my Valentine, now could I?”

“No, you couldn't,” Tom chuckled, blowing him a kiss. “I'll see you there, darling.”

“Whatever you say, sweetheart,” Harry replied, turning and walking off. “Whatever you say.”

Grinning as Harry disappeared, Tom failed to notice the colour draining from Chakotay's face or the way he'd tensed up. He was also unaware of the turmoil going on inside the older man's head.

Rooted to the spot, his hopes completely dashed, Chakotay observed the other men's interaction with increasing dismay. He'd missed his chance. Tom was with Harry; they were a couple....

He was pretty sure the pain in his chest was his heart breaking into tiny, splintered pieces.

“Chakotay?”

Tom's voice didn't register until he'd spoken his name again.

Quickly rubbing a hand over his eyes, he briefly glanced at Tom. “I, er... I've got to go,” he mumbled, starting to walk away. 

The younger man frowned at his retreating back. “But I thought you wanted to talk....”

Chakotay shrugged as nonchalantly as he could as he kept walking. “It doesn't matter,” he muttered dejectedly over his shoulder. “It was nothing important.” With that, he hurried away toward the turbolift, leaving a perplexed pilot in his wake.

~~~~~

Slumped forlornly against the back wall of the halted lift, he wondered what he should do. 

He really didn't feel like going to the picnic now, not without Tom by his side, but if he didn't go..... Well, he knew that the Captain would hunt him down and get the story out of him one way or another, then smother him with a large dose of overbearing sympathy. With his feelings as raw as they currently were, he just wouldn't be able to handle that. 

Of course, he _could_ go but keep out of everyone's way – after all, it wasn't as though he actually wanted company now, anyway - then, if Kathryn did a location check on him she'd know he was _somewhere_ on the holodeck, but he was pretty certain she wouldn't ask for anything precise, like where he was exactly or for details of who he was with. 

She might be curious about his 'date' but she'd respect his privacy. Mostly.

Staring up at the ceiling, he decided he didn't really have any choice; he'd have to go. He'd just slip in, grab his pre-ordered hamper from Neelix, then disappear into the woods for a few hours. He'd leave when no-one was looking, then stave off Kathryn's questions later by stating he wanted to keep things to himself for a while. He'd just let her assume he meant the details of his new 'relationship', rather than his misery at missing his chance....

Decision made, he sighed and called for the lift to resume its journey.

~~~~~

Tom had just about reached the door to the holodeck when his comm badge chirped.

“Paris here.”

“Ah, Tom,” it was Harry, “I'm really sorry, but I'm not gonna be able to make it. B'Elanna's managed to get away early, so we're starting our evening together right now. Hope you don't mind.”

Tom shook his head, even though Harry couldn't see it. “That's fine. I don't mind in the slightest. You two enjoy yourselves, okay? I'll see you tomorrow. Breakfast in the mess hall?” 

“Yeah, sure. And, thanks. I hope you have a good evening as well. I know there's some people going to the picnic in groups, so maybe you can join in with them.”

“Yeah. Maybe. We'll compare notes on our evenings at breakfast. See you then.”

“Okay. Bye, Tom.”

“Bye.”

Staring at the door, Tom felt a little lost for a moment. Then, with a shrug and a “what the hell,” he decided he might as well go in. He had nothing better to do, after all.

The program running didn't come as any surprise to him - he'd spent many hours the previous week putting it together with Neelix – but he still stopped to take a good look at their handiwork.

He was standing on the edge of a flower-filled meadow, bordered on two sides by dense forest. A slow-flowing river that fed a deep lake wended its way through the centre of the open space, a bright red bridge allowing access to the far bank. In the distance, a herd of deer could be seen grazing on the lush green grass and low-growing bushes. Closer to the river, horses also grazed, waiting for the more adventurous of the crew to ride them.

To his left, Neelix had set up shop in a barbecue area, next to a small, fenced-in playground for Naomi. The seats on that side were made of tree stumps and logs, all set beneath a willow arbour. It looked as quaintly rustic as he'd hoped it would.

Blankets had been spread in various places, with obviously happy crew members indulging themselves on replicated food provided in the holographic hampers, or just lazing beneath the late afternoon sun with a glass of wine in hand.

Deciding they'd got the right idea and a drink wouldn't go amiss, Tom made his way over to Neelix, and the replicators they'd disguised as large oak barrels. 

“Hey, Neelix.”

“Tom!” The Talaxian looked up, smiling brightly at him. “How lovely to see you!” His smile suddenly disappeared though and he wrung his hands together. “But I don't have a hamper for you; you never placed an order for one.”

“I know, Neelix. Don't worry about it.” He took a seat on a tree stump. “I didn't bother because I wasn't sure if I was going to be here. But, now that I am, I wouldn't mind a glass of something.”

“Coming right up, Tom.” Neelix swung open the hinged door on one of the barrels. “What would you like? Juice? Wine? Lemonade?”

“Lemonade sounds good. Thanks.”

Neelix conjured up two drinks and handed one over, keeping the other for himself. “I'd hoped you'd come. It's not like you to miss something like this. Mind you,” he said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “I didn't think the Commander was going to show up, either. He only placed his hamper order less than an hour ago and collected it a few minutes before you came in.” He looked around to make sure no-one was listening. “I don't know who he's here with, but I know it isn't the Captain.”

“Really?” 

“Yes.” His gaze flitted over the nearest people before he spoke again. “She's ordered her own hamper, you see.”

Tom shrugged. “Maybe they just wanted to choose their own food.”

“No, no, no,” Neelix emphatically shook his head, “that's not it, because they each ordered enough food for two.”

“So, you think they've both got dates with other people?”

“Well, that _would_ explain it, wouldn't it?”

“Yeah,” Tom acknowledged quietly, “I guess it would, but....”

Before he could say anything else, Neelix beamed at someone walking up behind him, greeting them with his usual loud enthusiasm.

“Captain Janeway! You're looking absolutely wonderful. Please, have a seat.” He pointed to another tree stump. “You're just in time for lemonade. Would you like some?”

“Well,” she perched on the edge of the indicated stump, “that's a rather tempting offer, Neelix, but I think I'll pass on the drink for now. Perhaps later.” 

“As you wish.” He stood smiling at her for a moment. “Shall I go and fetch your hamper for you?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Neelix nodded. “I'll be back in just a minute.” 

As the Talaxian bustled away into a nearby cabin, Tom turned and smiled at Janeway. “So, Captain, where have you left your Valentine?”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “My Valentine?”

“Yes. I thought you'd be here with the Commander,” he remarked casually, determined to find out if Neelix's suppositions had any merit.

“Oh.” She settled herself more comfortably on her seat and grinned. “Have you seen him anywhere?”

Tom shook his head. “Not here. I did see him earlier but...” he frowned, “he wasn't acting quite like himself.”

“Ah, that was probably because he was nervous,” she said knowingly. She leaned in toward him and lowered her voice. “I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but I know you'll keep it to yourself: the Commander has a Valentine's date. At least, that's what he was hoping for. He'd left it a little late to ask, you see, and he was worried she'd say 'no'.”

“She?” Tom just managed to keep his surprise from his voice. Despite the whole Seska fiasco some years before, he was pretty certain Chakotay was attracted to men rather than women. At least, he'd been hoping he was. He'd been subtly flirting with him recently and thought the older man had seemed interested. 

But, maybe not....

“Do you know her name?”

Janeway shook her head. “He wouldn't tell me,” she sighed. “But she must have said 'yes' because I know he's in here... somewhere. And he wouldn't have come without his date.”

“How do you know he's here? I'm guessing you didn't comm him, so... did you ask the computer?”

She chuckled, but had the good grace to blush. “I must confess I did. I'm... curious.”

“Aren't we all,” Tom muttered under his breath. “Well, you're right,” he said aloud, “he is here. According to Neelix, he picked up his hamper a few minutes ago.”

“Oh.” A wicked grin crossed her face. “Maybe I _will_ have that lemonade after all. Do you fancy staying and keeping me company?”

Certain Neelix had no more information to impart than he already had, Tom decided to decline. “I'm sorry, Captain, but I can't,” he said, finishing his drink and rising. “Perhaps I'll catch up with you later.”

Janeway nodded. “Have fun,” she said as he walked off.

~~~~~

The program was reaching its late afternoon stage as Chakotay pushed aside the low-hanging branches in front of him and emerged from the cover of the trees into a small sun-dappled clearing.

As soon as he'd arrived on the holodeck, he'd collected his hamper from Neelix and, once he was sure the ebullient Talaxian's attention was no longer on him, he'd set off at a brisk pace toward the forest that edged the right hand side of the meadow, trying his best to avoid being seen by anyone else. 

He'd followed a dirt trail which skirted around several concealed log cabins and then disappeared amongst the trees. The path eventually petered out at the foot of a large group of high boulders that sat close together and formed a natural craggy wall. Undeterred by the obstacle, he'd made sure his bag and hamper were secure before climbing to the top and carefully making his way down the slope on the other side. He'd pushed his way through the undergrowth and kept walking, until the sounds of voices and the happy cries of people playing in the lake had faded far into the distance.

The hidden clearing he'd found would suit his needs completely. Solitude was what he craved; he just didn't want to see or hear Tom with Harry. The less he knew about their date, the better.

With a deep sigh, he set aside what he'd been carrying and sat down, feeling completely overwhelmed. The depth of his emotions had taken him by surprise. 

He'd been attracted to Tom for a long time. If he was honest with himself – and he needed to be – it was a lot more than simple attraction, as his reaction to losing out to Harry Kim attested. He'd had such high hopes once he'd decided to ask Tom out, even if he had been aware of the possibility that the enticing blond might turn him down; but to have his hopes dashed so completely and in such an unexpected way had hit him very, very hard. As irrational as he supposed it was, he felt an acute sense of loss. And it hurt, a lot.

If only he hadn't totally misread Tom's intentions, he thought. 

As he lay back, closing his eyes, he wondered whether it would actually have made any difference. 

The answer, he considered, was definitely 'no'. 

No matter what, Tom would still be with Harry; and he, Chakotay, would still feel as though his whole world had fallen apart....

Taking a shuddering breath he wondered what the future held now.

For a start, he decided, he had to get to grips with his emotions. He was probably going to have to meditate for the whole of his day off tomorrow if he was to have even the remotest hope of pulling himself together in time for his shift the following day. 

But, once he saw Harry again, would it be possible for him to be civil to the young man? He knew he had to be, but....

He rubbed a hand over his aching head as his disquieting thoughts swamped him. A nap seemed like a good idea to him right now. There was real appeal in letting go of everything and finding some solace in sleep... if only he could just relax enough.

Forcing himself to breathe slowly and deeply, he set out to try.

~~~~~

Attempting to look casual, Tom strolled across the meadow, carefully scrutinising each couple and group of people. 

So far, his meandering had taken him from the barbecue area to the river, where he'd ambled along the grassy bank, taking note of every woman he'd passed. Then, he'd stopped for a while at the picturesque lake, sitting by a clump of sweet-scented flowers at the edge as he watched a few people laughing and splashing about in the water. Once he'd added everyone to his mental list, he'd moved on, and was now circling back toward the holodeck's entrance. 

All the ladies from Alpha shift had been accounted for, as had most of the ones from Gamma shift. The few who weren't there were either already in steady relationships or, as far as he knew, had no plans to be involved with anyone. He discounted Beta shift, as they were still working and wouldn't be at the picnic for many hours yet. So, he wondered, who the hell was Chakotay with?

Sinking down onto a sun-baked patch of ground opposite the play area, he absently listened to the sounds of insects buzzing nearby and Naomi's delighted shrieks as her mother pushed her on the swing. 

Thinking back over the last few weeks, he realised that during the time he'd spent in Sandrine's, Chakotay had been attentive to him, and him alone. There'd been no sign of him having any interest at all in any of the women who'd been present – or even any of the men, for that matter. The older man had approached no-one, and no-one had approached him. So he was completely baffled as to the identity of Chakotay's date. Whoever it was, the two of them must have met up somewhere else.... But, where? And when?

Tom sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't like the idea of Chakotay being with someone besides him.

If he'd had the courage to ask him out, everything might've been different. But he just hadn't been sure how to broach the subject. All that had come to mind was to flirt and hope _Chakotay_ would be the one to do the asking....

Well, he thought, that idea had backfired. He must've been far too subtle and his efforts had gone unnoticed.... Either that, or Chakotay just wasn't interested in him that way.

Heaving a dejected sigh, he closed his eyes, as an overwhelming feeling of loss pervaded every part of him. 

“Tom?”

Janeway's voice startled him. Blinking, he looked up to see her striding toward him. “Captain? Is something wrong?” 

“No, no,” she waved a hand, “I just wondered if you'd seen Seven on your trip around the meadow. I'd like to quickly review something with her but I don't want to comm her in case she's... otherwise engaged, as it were.”

“Otherwise engaged?”

“Well, think about it,” Janeway said, crouching down next to him, “there's been no sign of the Commander and no sign of Seven.... I'm starting to think two plus two just might equal four – or rather, in this case, one plus one might equal two,” she grinned. “They would make a handsome couple, wouldn't they?”

Tom could feel the colour draining from his face. He'd placed Seven in the 'not wanting to get into a relationship' category, but it seemed he might've been terribly wrong. “She's interested in him, then?”

Janeway shrugged. “I've never discussed it with her; but it is a bit of a coincidence that they've disappeared at the same time, don't you think?” 

“I don't know.” Tom's mind was desperately searching for straws to clutch at. “Maybe she's gone back to her alcove or something.... Picnics aren't really her thing, are they?”

“Maybe not,” Janeway conceded, “but Chakotay might be,” she added with a chuckle. “He's the type of man most people would do _anything_ for, including attending a picnic they hated.” She stood up, ready to leave. “As you haven't seen her, it _is_ very likely she's with the Commander, so I'll catch up with her later. I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Tom. I'll let you get back to your nap now. ”

With a quick wave, Janeway hurried off, leaving Tom sitting on the ground, completely thunderstruck.

As the Captain had said, the pair would look incredible together. And Seven was highly intelligent as well as beautiful; she was knowledgable about so many things.... Tall, blonde, dazzling, with a fantastic mind as well as a fantastic body... how the hell could he ever match up to _that?_

The only thing that gave him any pause for thought at all, were his previous observations. He _still_ wasn't entirely convinced that Chakotay was sold on women. 

In the past, he'd made many such judgements of other men, and he'd _never_ been wrong. Not once. He was adept at reading such things, so....

Drawing a shaky breath, he considered his options: give up and walk away, accepting the situation as a fait accompli; or... fight for the man he... loved.... 

Blinking rapidly, he realised, with a certain amount of surprise, that he actually _did_ love the older man. Chakotay was a kind, generous and warm-hearted guy, all wrapped up in a gorgeous package. All the men and women put together that he, himself, had ever been intimate with didn't come _close_ to being in the same league as that quiet, dark, sensual man.

He'd wanted Chakotay for the longest time, so why the hell was he even _considering_ giving up?

Squaring his shoulders, he decided it was time to fight for what he wanted. No way was he gonna give in easily. Even if Chakotay and Seven _were_ together, it didn't mean they had to stay that way. 

After all, he thought, all's fair in love and war. 

What he needed now was a plan of action.

The first thing to do was find out for certain what the situation actually was. He needed to locate Chakotay and determine the lay of the land, so to speak - find out if the older man had _any_ romantic inclination toward him, however slight. 

If it turned out that he did.... Well, Seven was gonna have one hell of a fight on her hands to keep him.

Standing up, he checked to make sure no-one was watching, then strode purposefully out of the holodeck. There was a small observation lounge close by, so he headed there, hoping it was unoccupied.

It was. Presumably everyone off duty was either on the holodeck or in their quarters.

Stepping inside, he let the door close behind him, then accessed the computer terminal installed there, calling up Chakotay's exact position on the holodeck in relation to the picnic program. From the information provided, he discovered his quarry was deep in the forest, in a very secluded area.

“Now for the hard bit,” he muttered. 

With slightly shaky fingers he typed in the next part of his query: Was anyone else in the same location as Chakotay?

When the answer came back as 'negative', he briefly shut his eyes and sent up a prayer of thanks to any deity who might be listening.

But, he realised, just because Chakotay was alone right now didn't mean he would stay that way. He might've given Seven his co-ordinates and was just waiting for her to show up....

Running a location check on her revealed she was by herself in a log cabin about a ten minute walk from where his man was. 

He had to move quickly, before they could rendezvous with one another.

Shutting the terminal down, he dashed back to the holodeck, almost bowling Neelix over as he ran through the door. “Sorry,” he shouted over his shoulder, then sprinted off through the trees.

Paying no heed to the beauty of his surroundings, he rushed through the woods, following his mental map of the area until he was confronted by a wall of rock. Visually checking first for hand and footholds, he scrambled up and over it, jumping down and landing in front of a thicket of bushes. He pushed through them and soldiered on, only stopping occasionally to catch his breath.

As he closed in on the area where the computer had shown Chakotay to be, he slowed his pace and proceeded quietly, listening out for any sign that Seven might've beaten him there. With careful steps, he edged forward, cautiously parting branches and hoping like hell his approach wouldn't be heard.

As he finally arrived at the last stand of trees between him and his ultimate destination, he silently called again on any and all benevolent deities and spirits, pleading for Chakotay to be there, alone.

Taking a steadying breath, he briefly closed his eyes, then stepped out of the woods and into the clearing.

What he saw there made him smile.

Chakotay was curled up on his side, fast asleep. He was nestled in a sun-kissed patch of grass, one arm tucked beneath his head as a makeshift pillow, his lips slightly parted as he breathed evenly, his hair mussed, several dark strands hanging loose over his forehead. 

And what was even better than the sight of the gorgeous man asleep in the sunshine was the fact that there was no sign of Seven.

Creeping forward, Tom sat down beside the sleeping man, wondering what to say to him when he awoke. Should he straight out ask him who he was dating, or... what? He _had_ to be more upfront about his interest this time, that was certain; subtle obviously hadn't worked. But... how should he go about that?

Would Chakotay be interested in him...?

As he mused, his gaze drifted to the sky, his thoughts as nebulous as the wispy clouds that skittered overhead. He became so engrossed in his pondering that he was taken by surprise when a soft voice spoke his name.

“Tom?” Chakotay rubbed one hand over his bleary eyes as he sat up. “What are you doing here?” He blinked as he tried to focus on the blond man by his side. “Where's Harry?”

“Harry?” Tom looked at him, puzzled. “It's Valentine's Day. He's in his quarters, with B'Elanna, of course. Why?”

“He's in his quarters? With B'Elanna? They're... together?” 

“Yeah.” Tom raised an eyebrow at the bewildered expression on the other man's face. “Are you feeling okay? You seemed a bit off when I saw you earlier.... Do you need to go to sickbay?”

“Sickbay?” 

Tom reached out and gently placed a hand on Chakotay's forehead. “You don't feel like you've got a temperature,” he observed. “Have you got a headache at all? Are you feeling nauseous?”

“No.” The older man gave him a bemused smile. “I'm not sick, Tom. Really. Just a bit confused as to why you're here.”

“Oh,” Tom sighed, “I guess you'd rather I wasn't. I suppose Seven will be here soon....”

“Seven?” Chakotay tilted his head and drew his brows together. “Now I'm more confused than ever. Why would Seven be coming here?”

“You mean she isn't?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

“Why would you think she would be?”

Tom shrugged and looked down at the grass. “The Captain thought... and I did, too, once she'd mentioned it... that you and Seven were possibly... you know, on a.... date. That she was your Valentine”

“Seven? My Valentine?”

“Yes.” Tom gave him an exasperated look. “Could you please stop repeating everything I say? I'm nervous enough as it is.”

“Nervous?” At Tom's raised eyebrow, he apologised. “Sorry. But why are you nervous?”

The younger man ducked his head, avoiding Chakotay's puzzled gaze. “Well...” he drew in a shaky breath, “I, um...” He plucked a piece of grass and knotted it up in his fingers until it was a balled-up mess. “I wanted to know... what you thought about me,” he mumbled. “If you had any interest in me.... Y'know, outside of friendship, that is. If you could ever consider me as a potential... lover.”

“Tom?”

“Yes?” He risked looking up and was surprised to see a broad smile on the other man's face. “What?”

Feeling overjoyed, Chakotay reached forward and removed the now unrecognisable blade of grass from Tom's fingers, then clutched his hand. “Of course I'd consider you,” he said, softly. “In fact, I already had. That was what I wanted to speak with you about earlier. But, I thought you were with Harry, so....”

“Why would you think I was with....” He rolled his eyes as realisation dawned. “We were just fooling around. I was at a loose end and Harry was gonna keep me company for a while at the picnic, just until B'Elanna finished playing with the engines. You took us seriously....”

Chakotay gave a wry snort. “I did. I was going to ask you to be my date – my Valentine,” he grinned, “but when you were calling each other 'darling' and 'sweetheart', well....”

Tom started to chuckle. “You thought I was with Harry, and...”

“... you thought I was with Seven,” Chakotay laughed. “You were way off the mark with that idea. I can appreciate her looks as well as anyone, but I prefer my blonds to be of the male variety. And the specific blond I'm interested in,” he moved closer, raising his free hand to stroke Tom's cheek, “is sitting right here, beside me.”

“You really mean that?” Tom asked quietly. “You really want to be with me?”

Chakotay gave a soft sigh and pulled him close. “I really mean it, Tom.” He laughed lightly. “You can't imagine what I went through when I thought I'd missed my chance with you. I was a wreck.”

“You weren't the only one,” Tom confessed sheepishly. “The thought of you with Seven.... Well, let's just say I reached the point of drawing up battle plans to get you away from her. In my mind, she was the enemy.”

Chakotay chuckled. “I was wondering how I'd manage to be pleasant to Mister Kim the next time I saw him. Sounds like we're both basket cases.”

“Yeah,” Tom laughed, “we are. We're obviously well suited.” He placed a quick kiss on Chakotay's cheek. “But, talking about baskets....” he gestured with his head toward the neglected hamper. “What have you got in there?”

“Why? Are you hungry?”

“Yeah,” Tom nodded emphatically. “I'm starving. Acting like a madman always has that effect on me.”

Chakotay grinned. “I'd better feed you, then. Come on.” Releasing Tom from his hold, he crawled across the grass and opened the hamper. “Anything in here take your fancy?”

Tom sat beside him and peered in. “I go for comfort food after moments of insanity,” he remarked lightly, digging through the basket. “Soup, usually.”

“Tomato?”

Tom laughed. “Yeah. Hot and plain. How'd you guess?”

“Guess?” Chakotay grabbed his bag and delved inside to find the flasks he'd packed earlier. “I don't think there's a person on Voyager who doesn't know your preference when it comes to soup. It might not be as hot as you like, but...” he handed a flask to the surprised man, “I hope it's satisfactory.”

“Tomato soup?” Tom gazed fondly at him. “That was very thoughtful of you, Chakotay. To spend your rations when you didn't even know if I'd be with you.... Well, it was really generous of you. Thank you.”

“You're more than welcome, Tom,” Chakotay replied with a soft smile. “And I'd be happy to do it again. Anytime.”

Carefully placing the flask on the ground, Tom moved forward and wrapped his arms around his date. “You're a kind man,” he quietly stated. “Its one of the things I really love about you. You always put other people before yourself. It beats me how you've stayed still single for so long.”

Chakotay sighed gently and rubbed his cheek against Tom's. “Lack of courage,” he murmured. “At least, before today.” He moved back slightly so that he could see into the younger man's bright, blue eyes. “I wanted to ask you out a long time ago. But it wasn't until you began flirting with me...” he paused, tilting his head, “you _were_ flirting with me, weren't you?” At Tom's nod, he continued, “Well, until then, I didn't think you were interested. Your attentions were just the impetus I needed for me to finally make a move.” He placed a soft kiss on the lips in front of his. “There was never anyone else for me, besides you, Tom. I'm serious about you. Can you handle that?”

Tom didn't even have to think about how to answer. “Yeah,” he said, with a happy grin, “I can.” He leaned in for a longer kiss, losing himself for a while in the incredible softness of the other man's lips. When he eventually pulled back, he whispered in Chakotay's ear, “I'm just as serious about you, too.”

“So,” Chakotay hugged him tightly, “we've figured out we're both crazy, both serious, and you...” he kissed and nipped at his neck, “are hungry. We'd best eat.”

“Food?” Tom asked cheekily.

The older man laughed and let him go. “For now.” He retrieved the second flask for himself. “There's fresh bread in the hamper,” he said as Tom opened his own flask. “And bowls and spoons.... most everything we need.”

Leaving the younger man to find said items, Chakotay pulled a blanket from his bag and spread it out over the grass. 

Before long, everything was set up ready for their picnic. They ate with gusto, Tom being surprised once again, and delighted, when Chakotay produced a bottle of the wine he'd enjoyed so much before. “You're spoiling me, y'know.”

“And?”

“And,” Tom looked deep into a pair of warm, dark eyes, focussed solely on him, “I love it.”

“I'm glad,” Chakotay responded, smiling. “Because I intend on spoiling you a lot.” 

Tom returned his smile, leaning against his arm and settling his head on Chakotay's shoulder. “You're a big, old softy.” He went still and silent for a long moment, quietly musing. “Chakotay? Would you think it too soon if....” He paused and lifted his head. “Is it too soon to say....”

His words were interrupted by the annoying sound emanating from his comm badge. Sighing, he tapped it. “Paris.”

“Tom. I was wondering if you were still on the holodeck.” 

“Yes, Captain. I am.”

“Good. I've just spoken to Seven, she was enjoying a little quiet time in one of the cabins, but she's seen nothing of Commander Chakotay. I was wondering if....”

“Captain,” Tom cut her off, “I'm not alone at the moment. I'm with my date.”

“Oh,” Janeway's surprise was evident, “I thought you'd come to the picnic on your own.”

“I had.”

“I see.” They heard her pull in a sharp breath. “Well, Tom, I'm very sorry to have disturbed you. I'll just have to ask the computer for what I want to know.”

“No. There's no need for that,” Tom said, hurriedly, glancing at Chakotay. “Everything's fine. More than fine, actually.”

“You know where the Commander is, and who he's with?”

“Yes, I do, but it's not really my place to say. I'll leave it up to him to tell you that.”

“That's if he doesn't clam up again,” she said, wryly.

“I won't, Kathryn.”

There was a moment of profound silence. “Chakotay? Is that you? Tom just said you were with someone....”

“I am,” he kissed his date on the cheek. “I'm with my Valentine.”

“But, you're with Tom....”

“Yes, I am. So, if you wouldn't mind excusing us now? We've got a picnic to finish.”

“You and Tom.”

“Yes, Kathryn. Me and Tom.”

“Very well.” There was another moment of silence, then, “Janeway out.”

“She doesn't sound happy,” Tom noted dismally. “I think she'd have preferred it if you were with Seven.”

“Maybe so,” Chakotay agreed, pulling Tom to him and wrapping him up in his arms, “but this isn't about what anyone else wants, even the Captain. This is purely about what we want, how _we_ feel.”

“How _do_ you feel?” Tom asked quietly, snuggling his head into Chakotay's neck. “You said you were serious about me, and I've admitted I'm serious about you, but... how serious are we talking here?”

“There's a scale of seriousness?”

Tom chuckled into his neck. “Humour me here. Please?”

“Okay.” Chakotay took a deep breath. “We've known each other a long time.” He squeezed him gently. “And we've weathered some pretty rough storms, both personally and professionally. And we've come through them, not completely unscathed, but definitely stronger. They've brought us closer. We're at a point now where I think the two of us together could handle just about anything life throws at us.”

“You really think so?”

“Yes. I do,” he said with conviction. “I think we work well together. And, as partners, I think we'll be even better.” He shifted Tom until the younger man was straddling his lap. Reaching up, he gently cupped Tom's face in his hands. “I love you, Tom. That's how serious I am about you.”

Tom stared at him a moment, his breath caught in his throat. “I love you, too,” he finally whispered. “I really do.” He bent his head down then, capturing Chakotay's lips for a long, slow, sensual kiss, putting every ounce of feeling into it that he could.

When they eventually parted, Chakotay's hands were still on his cheeks. “We'll take one day at a time, Tom,” he said quietly. “But I have high hopes for us. I think we'll make this work, and make it work well. And then, when I'm proved right,” he paused as Tom grinned at him, “and I will be proved right,” he continued confidently, “we'll take things further. And we'll make that work, too. And the next thing, and the next.”

“And when we can go no further?”

“When we can go no further in this life, we'll continue to make things work in the next.”

“So, this is the start of a lifetime thing?”

Chakotay shook his head. “Not a lifetime thing, Tom. An eternal thing. So, if you can't handle how serious I am about you, you'd better say so.”

Tom looked at the man in front of him and smiled. For the rest of his life, and beyond, he'd have someone who loved him wholeheartedly. How many people could ever lay claim to something as amazing as that?

“You know what, Chakotay? I think I like your version of serious. I like it very much.”

And to add to his words, he gave his Valentine a _very_ serious kiss.


End file.
